"So, Checker," Maud says, looking at you, her voice as expressionless as ever, "Why did you come to Rockville?" You think back to the letter in the mail as well as your meeting with the manager. You now know that he wasn't kidding about this place needing some color... It was just so lifeless, it was saddening to see.
"My manager entrusted me with bringing some co—"
"Stop right there. You should go home. We have all the color we need," she interrupts, her voice unchanging. You look around again, and see many ways to disagree with her.
"Nope, looks pretty devoid to me," you say, looking around the town as you say it.
"Okay Checker. If you really want to try, you can stay at my house." You blush at her suggestion, knowing that being at her house is being in her privacy, and you both just met. No, no. Don't think like that. I just stay professional. "I doubt the ponies of this town will cooperate anyway." Your blush fades at her statement, and a slight twang of hope is lost in your soul. You slouch slightly, thinking about what she just said. But, then you remembered; you are the most trusted Pegasus in the facility. Your manager trusts you to bring color to this town, and, by Celestia, you were not gonna let him down!
"No." You say it firmly, standing up tall.
"Excuse me?" Even though the question is usually said with some amount of emotion, Maud somehow managed to make it deadpan.
"No," you repeat, looking her straight in the eye. "I'll make these ponies cooperate, and I'll let them witness true color!" You shout triumphantly, causing a few raised eyebrows and stares from some of the ponies viewing the scene.
A TRUE TRUE FRIEND HELPS A FRIEND IN NEED, A FRIEND WILL BE THERE TO HELP THEM SEEEEE!!!!!
You blush as the song starts playing. "Oh, for crying out loud!" You take off your saddlebags and start digging through one, trying desperately in vain to find your phone.
A TRUE TRUE FRE-END HELPS A FRIEND IN NEED, TO SEE THE LIIIGGGHHHHTTT THAT SHINES FROM A TRUE TRUEEEE FRIIIEEEENNDDDD!!!!!!
You pull out your phone, and a few gasps were heard from the ponies around you. You quickly answer the call to stop your ringtone (a bad cover by you of a True True Friend) and bring it up to your ear.
"H-hello?" You say into the phone, sweating nervously, your eyes darting about everywhere.
Hey, buddy! How are ya? I didn't catch you at work. Where are you?
"Oh, Rae-Rae! Now's a bad time!" You say through clenched teeth to your work buddy.
Why? Are you sick? Hanging out with a long lost family member? On a special assignment?
"YES!!!" You shout into the phone, causing some of the surrounding ponies to whisper to each other and give you suspicious looks. You look to Maud, lower the phone for a minute and chuckle nervously while holding up one hoof to say, "give me a minute, please." She nods, and sits down.
Oh, which one? Sick? Family member? Special Assign—
"SPECIAL ASSIGNMENT!!!!"
Oh, I'm sorry. I'll let you get back to it. Byeeeeeeeee!
You hear a beep at the other end and let out a satisfied sigh. You put your phone back in your saddlebags and let out a long breath.
"I'm sorry you had to see that. Friends from work, yknow?" You say, trying to be smooth, despite your sudden outburst with Liquified Rainbow.
"I don't have friends from work. Just rocks," Maud says, getting up. "Let me show you to my house." She starts walking towards the rock farm you landed at. On the way back, you thought about your feelings for Maud.
Is she really who I'll ultimately end up being in a couple with? But... I'm a pony who's seen true color, yet she hasn't. Maybe that's one of the things I admire about her? No, it can't be. I've always lived in a world of immense color, yet she must've always lived in grayscale. I have to share my gift with her. you look up to her, and take in her colorless features. Maybe... If I show her true color, she'll become happier; actually express emotion? You smile slightly at that thought. Maud stops suddenly, but you didn't notice it, so you walk straight into her. When your brain registers what happened, you blush, apologize profusely, and step a good amount away so that you're out of her personal area.
"We're here," she says, completely unaware of you're little accident. You look up to her house: a small home, and it fits in perfectly with the whole 'rock farm' thing. You look around again, and see a giant egg-shaped Rock. Your mouth forms in a perfect 'o' and you slowly walk up to it. You were in complete awe; not only at its massive size, but also at its perfect egg shape. You slowly bring up a hoof, and slowly reach out to touch it.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you. Limestone gets brutal when it comes to ponies touching Holder's Boulder." You quickly bring your hoof back in,mane turn around to see Maud watching you. "You might as well consider yourself dead if you lay a hair on it." You gulp and say, "I'll keep that in mind."
"Come with me," Maud says, leading you back to her house. You follow her, and she opens up the door.
"Checker, met my family." She motions to four ponies standing behind the door.
"I am Igneous Rock Pie. I welcome the to thine humble abode," the only stallion in the family says, having a straight face all the while.
"And I'm Cloudy Quartz," the older mare with her mane in a bun says, some small glasses resting on her muzzle.
"I'm Limestone! I run this farm. And if you even think about touching Holder's Boulder.." A grayish-blue mare with a light bluish-gray mane says, walking up to you and giving you the evil eye. Her stare is so intense it would be enough to make an entire army flinch. You gulp and start sweating as she finishes, "Consider it to be your end."
"My other sister is Marble. We mostly do the talking for her," Maud says, pointing to the last pony in the room; a mare with a long mare that covers most of her face, who quickly shrinks once your attention was brought to her.
"I have another sister. Her name is Pinkie. She lives in Ponyville," Maud says, walking in. You follow closely behind.
"Oh, you mean Pinkie Pie? As in, the most famous party planner in Equestria? I've heard of her," you say, looking at at each member of the dull family before looking back to Maud Pie.
"Yeah. That's her. Let me show you your room," She says, walking up some stairs near the front door. Before you follow, you're stopped by Limestone.
"Just because you've been invited into my home doesn't mean you have the 'okay' for you to go for me or my sisters. Especially Marble... Touch one of us, and consider it your end, got it?" There's that intense stare again. You gulp again, and nod your head crazily.
"Good." She says, walking away from her and walking into a different room, followed by the rest of the family. You shakily trot up the stairs after that close encounter, nearly stumbling once or twice due to your legs giving out. You just manage to catch up with Maud, though, and see her waiting patiently for you.
"Here's your room. Get comfortable. We'll be having dinner soon." You nod and she leaves, leaving you to your own devices. You look around the room, and smile slightly. Hmm, cozy. you put down your saddlebags and take out what you took, putting them in what you thought were the necessary places to put them. Just before you put down your phone on the bed-side table, you stop and think. Maybe I should leave it in my bag. The ponies around here acted weirdly when I pulled it out, what if they find it and freak out? Yeah, I'd better keep it in my bag. After preventing a small disaster, you hang your saddlebags on a coat rack that was conveniently hanging around. You smile contentedly and trot down the stairs, looking around until you walked into the dining room.
"You came just in time for dinner. Have fun trying to eat it with your softie Pegasus teeth," Limestone taunts, smiling at you evilly as you take a seat. You gulp for the third time this chapter, and sweat nervously.
"Limestone!" Cloudy says, appalled, "is that how we treatest thine guests?" Even though Igneous was sitting at the table, he didn't bother trying to stop what was unfolding.
"Ugh, sorry," Limestone says, grumpy.
Maud and Marble walk in, Maud carrying a big bowl of soup, your were presuming, and Marble carrying six bowls, both on their backs. Maud sets the bowl on the table, and Marble puts a bowl in front of the ponies seated at the table, putting two in front of two empty seats for herself and her sister. Maud goes around with a spoon, pouring soup into everypony's bowl, including yours. As she turned away, she lifted up her tail and let it go under your chin, causing you to blush hard at the very flirty (and silky) moment. It's like she knew of your crush. Limestone raises an agitated eyebrow at you two, and you could already see your life flashing in front of your eyes. But, she doesn't do anything, instead looks at you, waiting for you to try the soup. Marble and Maud sit down in unison, and all the members of the family that are currently present all wait for you to try.
You look down to the meal, not knowing what it was until now. Your eyes are met with boiling green liquid, small rock chunks riddled throughout.
"Uhm, what is this?" You ask, bringing up a hoof and pointing to the soup. You didn't mean to be rude, but were they actually expecting you to eat it? Rocks included?
"It's Rock-a-Bet Soup. Like Alphabet soup, but with rocks." Maud looks over to you, not a single change in her... Well, everything.
"Well? Try it!" Limestone says, giving you a demonic look.
You look down to the boiling mixture of solid and liquid and take a deep breath. You gain enough confidence in yourself to go down and take a sip, letting the soup fill your mouth. Despite the fact that it looked like it was boiling, it was actually a pleasant temperature. It also had a moderately good taste. You swallow, and are surprised by the fact that you didn't even feel the rocks go down your throat.
"Hey, this isn't that bad!" You say, leaning back down for another sip. Again, it was a pleasant temperature and moderately good.
"HUH?" Limestone says, confused by the fact that you weren't completely disgusted by the food. You finish your soup quickly, and hold out your bowl and say, "Seconds, please!" Maud obliges, grabbing the spoon in between her teeth and pouring more of the soup into your bowl. You enjoy that bowl too, and after that you were full, leaving Limestone flabbergasted.
"Ahh, that was wonderful! Thank you to the chef," Marble shies away slightly, giving you the idea that she was the cook, "Can I depart from the family's wonderful company?" Hey, it always pays to be polite. And that was something you seemed to be very good at.
"Yes, you may," Igneous says, waving you off with a hoof. You give a little bow to the parents, and trot back up to your room.
What a day! I'm ready to hit the hay. Hey! That rhymed, heh. so it did, so it did. You flop onto your bed, and pull the blanket over you. The area is actually a lot colder at night. You fall asleep in a matter of minutes, a content smile adorning your face.